BCI / Brain-Computer Interface Race
Mirage91
Austria
About the Team
Team Mirage91 has already participated in CYBATHLON 2016. How long research on BCI technology has been going on at the Graz University of Technology is reflected in the team name: It stands for Mind Racing Graz Established 1991. The BCI Lab was founded in 2014 and since then numerous students have been working on partial aspects of the system as part of their bachelor or master thesis and have continuously improved it. Team manager Shayan Jalilpourroudkoli explains: "It’s a very good project for the students to gain experience in the BCI field. Training together with the pilot is a valuable experience and the increased media presence will also bring the topic closer to the public".
Thinking of CYBATHLON 2024 and the new games that will be played, Shayan sees the amount of classes that are needed as a special challenge, because each mental task, such as motor imagery or mental singing, requires distinct and precise neural control, making it difficult to train and differentiate between them accurately. Even for experienced teams, the tasks of CYBATHLON are not getting any easier.
Mirage91
About the Pilot
“To control a computer game with my thoughts? Sounds exciting.” That’s what Antonio Studeny thought when a doctor asked him in a rehabilitation center. “After the first contact with the team, we really got going. Since September 2024, I have been training with the team regularly at the university or at my home,” recounts the Austrian. “First, we tried out different paradigms to find the right mental tasks for me. We have a lot of fun as a team, our relationship is great. And it's great fun to play the game!" One year ago, Antonio had an accident and since then is paralyzed from his neck down.
“Despite the challenges that come with this kind of injury, new technologies and rehabilitation have opened up new possibilities for people with conditions like mine. Innovations like these give hope for more independence and a better quality of life.”
About the Device
For all our measurements we use the Wireless EEG Amplifier LiveAmp from Brain Products GmbH in combination with the active electrode system actiCAP from Brain Products GmbH.